Now that you have had a chance to experience science education as it actually occurs, it might be useful for you to reflect on the role that you want inquiry to play in your own classroom. Before you do this, please look back on the resources and results from questions 3 and 4 from our inquiry jigsaw activity from last semester. After this review answer the following questions:
After considering the expectations for classroom inquiry presented in state and national standards what you think you will try to do in your own classroom?
I will try to teach the students to view themselves as "learners in the process of learning". By that I mean that I'd like the students to be able to look forward to learning, to demonstrate desire to learn, to feel more confident about learning and also to display a certain amount of skepticism.
I will also try to encourage students to ask questions, propose explanations, and use observations.This means that students will ask questions (verbally and through actions). I will encourage them to observe critically, as opposed to casually looking or listening. Also, I'd like the students to learn to value and apply questions as an important part of learning. Most importantly, I'd love for the students to make connections to previous ideas.
In addition, I will try to incorporate labs where students plan and carry out learning activities. This way they would be able to design ways to try out their ideas and not always be expecting to be told what to do. They could carry out activities by using materials, observing, evaluating, and recording information. This type of learning would also allow them to sort out information and decide what is really important.
Lastly, I will try to teach in a way that would allow students to communicate by using a variety of methods. They could express their ideas by using journals, drawing, using reports, graphing etc. They could also listen, speak, and write about learning activities with parents, other teachers, and peers.
What resources and other forms of support do you think would be useful in order to be able to support classroom inquiry during your early years of teaching?
Time (well managed). Since inquiry based learning is student-centered, I would need to learn to manage classroom time wisely and focus on students and be more of a facilitator myself.
Technology. When students have questions that I cannot answer or that require the gathering of multiple points of view or types of data, use of technology can be crucial.
Support From School. Support from both administrators and other teachers.
Flexibility. I'd need the school to be flexible in allowing me to take the learning outside of the classroom walls.
Access to multiple sources of information: books, magazines, internet etc.
After considering the expectations for classroom inquiry presented in state and national standards what you think you will try to do in your own classroom?
I will try to teach the students to view themselves as "learners in the process of learning". By that I mean that I'd like the students to be able to look forward to learning, to demonstrate desire to learn, to feel more confident about learning and also to display a certain amount of skepticism.
I will also try to encourage students to ask questions, propose explanations, and use observations.This means that students will ask questions (verbally and through actions). I will encourage them to observe critically, as opposed to casually looking or listening. Also, I'd like the students to learn to value and apply questions as an important part of learning. Most importantly, I'd love for the students to make connections to previous ideas.
In addition, I will try to incorporate labs where students plan and carry out learning activities. This way they would be able to design ways to try out their ideas and not always be expecting to be told what to do. They could carry out activities by using materials, observing, evaluating, and recording information. This type of learning would also allow them to sort out information and decide what is really important.
Lastly, I will try to teach in a way that would allow students to communicate by using a variety of methods. They could express their ideas by using journals, drawing, using reports, graphing etc. They could also listen, speak, and write about learning activities with parents, other teachers, and peers.
What resources and other forms of support do you think would be useful in order to be able to support classroom inquiry during your early years of teaching?